Heroin rears its ugly head on Fond du Lac landscape

Mar. 12, 2014

Anthony Alvarado hugs his son Tuesday at the Heroin Summit held at the Stayer Center at Marian University. Alvarado credits his son with helping him beat an addiction to heroin. When his son was 3 years old he turned to Alvarado and said, 'Dad don't die.' / Colleen Kottke/Action Reporter Media

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Over the last four years heroin has made its presence known in the Fond du Lac area in a big way.

Local police, paramedics, social workers and physicians have seen firsthand the damage it has done in the community and to families where addiction has gained a foothold. Civic leaders on a panel at the Fond du Lac Heroin Summit Tuesday night described proliferation of the drug in the Fox Valley as an “epidemic” beginning to spiral out of control.

“This drug has had the most significant impact in the community than any other in my career as a law enforcement officer,” Fond du Lac Police Chief Bill Lamb said. “Four years ago chances of arresting someone for trafficking heroin were slim to none. Heroin was involved in over half of the 131 felony drug trafficking cases that we referred last year. This drug has dominated the landscape of the drug work our officers are doing.”

'Perfect storm'

Lamb said property crimes have also increased as users look for ways to support their addiction.

“Addiction leads to crime,” Lamb said. “Addicts don’t hold a job and they’re not willing to give up their habit. They will do whatever is necessary to feed that addiction. Of the last six armed robberies that we’ve had, half of them were due to the suspect’s need to support a drug addiction.”

The rise of heroin use in the community may be due to the preventative efforts to curb the abuse of prescription pain medications, said Special Agent Brad Dunlap of the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group.

“Oxycodone was the drug of choice for users up until 2010 when there was a push to prevent its abuse. Now we have the perfect storm to fill the void: heroin is cheaper, more available and 10 times more potent than in the ’70s,” Dunlap said. “Heroin use just skyrocketed in the Fox Valley. Arrests keep doubling year after year. This heroin epidemic is by far one of the most severe in my career.”

Dunlap said the majority of the drug is finding its way into the U.S. from Mexico and Columbia. He estimates that nearly 98 percent of heroin sold on the streets came from Milwaukee or Chicago.

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“In the past, addicts would drive down there to pick it up for themselves. Now Milwaukee and Chicago drug dealers have cast a hungry eye toward Fond du Lac and have come up here to make large profits with heroin,” Dunlap said. “They have no ties with our community other than their drug trade.”

Dramatic climb in overdoses

Statistics show that more than 75 percent of those who try heroin once will use it again. While it is an opiate like morphine and oxycodone, street heroin is more dangerous due to the unknown additives that make it nearly impossible to know the drug’s strength or purity. That makes overdoses a possibility.

In 2006, Emergency Room doctors administered the overdose antidote Narcan 12 times. Last year 75 doses were given in suspected overdose cases.

“We’re on track this year to give 95 doses,” said Dr. Nathan Larsen, head of the ER at St. Agnes Hospital.

That doesn’t include the doses of Narcan administered in the field by front-line workers such as paramedics, who delivered 79 doses last year.

“Since the beginning of the year we’ve given out 27 doses of Narcan. If we maintain this pace, we’ll blow 2013 out of the water,” Assistant Chief/EMS Director Todd Janquart said.

Children suffer

Kay Reinhard of Fond du Lac County Social Services said heroin has adversely impacted children in families where addiction is present.

“We don’t make it through a single workday where heroin isn’t mentioned several times a day. Parents seem to forget about the needs of their children — getting drugs is their top priority,” Reinhard said. “Social workers are entering homes where parents are suspected of buying and selling and associating with dangerous criminals.”

Lamb said Fond du Lac police have arrested parents who have brought their children along on drug buys.

“With crack or cocaine, it was rare to see people involving children. With heroin, we’re seeing it all too often,” Lamb said.

City officials hope a new drug court will help alleviate the problem. Drug courts in other counties have shown significantly lower recidivism rates than drug offenders sent to prison.

“This treatment alternative diversion program holds people more accountable and broadens the support network that they need to be successful,” said Probation and Parole agent and Drug Court Committee chair Carrie Nitz. “Those graduating from this program are nine times less likely to find themselves in prison. Addiction is very hard to overcome and to be able to help these people along in this process and changing lives is very rewarding.”